Palliative care is a medical specialty focused on treating the symptoms, pain and stress of a serious illness for patients and their families. It provides an added layer of support for patients at all ages and at all stages of any serious or advanced disease, whatever the prognosis. Central to this care is the communication and coordination of treatment options to maximize quality of life for patients, according to the individual patient’s goals and aspirations.

Mount Sinai has embraced palliative care as a service to patients and their families. Under the direction of the Hertzberg Palliative Care Institute, the inpatient program has three interdisciplinary consultation teams. Patients with complex needs can be cared for around the clock in the 13-bed Wiener Family Palliative Care Unit.

The inpatient unit and the consultation teams are each staffed by an attending physician, nurse practitioner, social worker, and a post-graduate fellow. Additional supportive care is provided by a chaplain, registered nurses, six licensed massage therapists, a yoga specialist and an art therapist. The Hertzberg Institute also provides an active and expanding community palliative care program.

Hand-in-hand with our dedicated patient care, the Hertzberg Institute has a mission focused on research, education of the next generation of health care professionals and the development of new models of palliative care delivery.

We invite you to meet our practitioners, learn from palliative care advocates and read about our groundbreaking research through the stories below.